023 - In You The Wars And The Flights Accumulated

[worldofourown]

...Really.

[ Karl is seated by an intricate gazebo in the Phantomhive garden. Sipping - tea. What? Blood isn't the only thing he drinks. He's also (mercifully) fully-clothed. ]

This isn't as scandalous or as liberating as it's being made out to be.

[ Eyeroll. ]

Still. Some of us are much better off with our clothes on. This curse will hardly contest that.

[ Himself included. Hard to be imposing in the buff. Especially for the eternally pale and bony. ]

Glad I escaped notice for this one. I don't ...tan very well.

[ Or at all. ]

[ Private to Merlin ]

Time's more than up.

You'd better have found a way to fix him. 

[ Private to Self/ Semi-Difficult to Hack ]

Another one bites the dust. Literally. It's a pity to see Mr. Aion go. I rather enjoyed speaking with someone who was knowledgeable in subjects that held my interest. I'm envious he escaped. Yet ... not. I admit, in the early days, I'd have been bitter. Especially with Saya gone. Our Vietnam War is unfinished. I haven't made her pay for her crimes against me. She will die by my hand alone. When I think of how she slipped from my grasp - how I almost had her - I want to destroy the City.

I can't remain here. It's vile and intolerable. It's like I'm being choked to death.

But ... with Diva here, I don't want to leave. I know it's not a good sign. This place is making me complacent. Because Amshel isn't here. Because there's no agendas or experiments. But that doesn't make it safe. Anyone can leave without notice. If I'm hit by a curse, I can't protect Diva. It's no safe haven for her. Or her children. A few days of being happy won't change that. I can't - It's deluded and idiotic. It's pathetic. Being so dependent on the Deities whims. There's no one I can entrust with protecting her if I'm - indisposed. Not Solomon. He's my brother. Sometimes I miss him. But he can't be trusted. Look at all he's done.

I wish I could still summon the hatred to kill you.

As you killed me.

The others ...the humans, the non-Chiropterans... They can't be trusted either. They're blood-bags. They're nothing. I'm not deluded like Saya. They have their place. I have mine. So it's always been. Yet the longer I stay away from home, the more I -

Carla. Little Setsuna. They're not human. But they're still -

It's no excuse to start thinking that ...-

This isn't a second chance. I can't let myself believe that.

Diva could still leave at any time. She's too good for this place. Or for me.

I can't...

...

I should just stop thinking at all.

Comments

[beyourarmy]

[Careful, Karl, he's in one of his elements. Not that he has the best control over them, yet.]

[The second he feels something touch him he panics and tries to turn, reaching out for the hand with a forceful grip.]

[worldofourown]

[ The moment you turn? Enjoy a bracing Ptoooo of lakewater in your face. ]

Tch.

It's no fun to creep up on those who won't yell.

[beyourarmy]

[Karl, really, you almost got blasted. But it's Karl, and Setsuna's breathing seems to calm a little, but he stares at him, very intently.]

How did you get there?

[worldofourown]

[ He's sneaky like a ninja. ]

The same way alligators and snakes do.

And sharks. [ Thoughtful. ] They're attracted to blood, you know.

[beyourarmy]

You scared me! I thought something happened to you.

[And...then he splashes Karl with water in return, but he barely even uses his hands. It's his powers, this time, and they make a fairly large arch of it.]

[worldofourown]

[ Whoah. ]

[ An impressive wave. He's startled for a moment. Then he laughs and disappears again beneath the water. Diving behind the boy swam to grab one ankle and pull him down under. ]

They always have such ridiculously long threads.

[beyourarmy]

Karl! [A sigh when he disappears. Fuck it. He's insane. He probably doesn't understand or care. Setsuna really was scared for him.... Oh well. So he thinks.]

[THEN HE IS PULLED UNDER. Okay, it's on, now!]

[He kicks back in the direction he was grabbed.]

It's a sign from the internets! \^^/

[worldofourown]

[ The thing about kicking underwater? ]

[ The kicks are slower. ]

[ He dodges and yanks the boy down further. In the watery murk, all white teeth and floating black hair and red eyes, he looks like a water-demon. ]

[ Except his intent isn't malicious. He's been thinking messy, gloomy thoughts back home. ]

[ He just wants to play. ]

What does this sign mean? Doomed relationship? Sinking like the Titanic?

[beyourarmy]

[The water around Setsuna might be hardening a little, but he's still weak with it. He reaches down wrench Karl's fingers off, but he stops, giving him a hard, long look. If he wanted to seriously hurt him, he could've done that already, right? This is almost.... No. People like Karl don't.... Do they?]

It's a twisted bromance xD I WILL GO DOWN WITH THIS SHIIIIIP~

[worldofourown]

[ Yes. ]

[ They do. ]

[ One of the reasons Karl secretly misses Solomon. Having a playmate to roughhouse with. Someone who isn't easy to break. Setsuna reminds him of Solomon sometimes - in appearance and quickness if not temperament. But there's a power about the Cherub that interests him all in itself. ]

[ Letting Setsuna go, he swims back up to the surface. He feels a tangible shift in the water around Setsuna. Wonders if it's another power of his. ]

[ That ought to make things interesting. ]

I could totally get behind it as a bromance, gotta admit.

[beyourarmy]

[Yeah, see, he didn't do anything untoward then. Okay.]

[Setsuna can get this. If Karl wants to play, he'll play. He's actually SMILING now, everything else forgotten as he swims quickly after Karl, aiming to reach out and grab his ankle in return, or anything. Whatever he can grab!]

So could I, actually :|a

[worldofourown]

[ Setsuna's fingers brush at his ankle. But he evades quickly. Crests the surface on a splash. The boy is quick. Maybe they can have a race. ]

[ And this time, there'll be no Kira lunging in like the Ride of the Valkyries. ]

[ For once, Karl is in a - relatively - harmless mood. ]

[beyourarmy]

[Feeling playful himself, Setsuna doesn't let Karl's speed deter him. He just speeds up, still persisting after his goal. He even spreads his arms to see if he can grab onto Karl. A race can wait.]